Giants down Tigers, 8-3, in Game 1 of World Series

San Francisco Giants jump to 1-game lead with big win over Detroit Tigers in Game 1

SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco Giants beat the Detroit Tigers, 8-1, Wednesday night in Game 1 of the World Series.

Pablo Sandoval became the fourth player to hit three home runs in a World Series game. He connected twice off Detroit ace Justin Verlander and then in the fifth inning against reliever Al Alburquerque.

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Verlander was chased in the 4th inning after allowing 6 hits and 5 earned runs. He did throw 4 strikeouts.

Giants starter Barry Zito pitched 5.2 innings, allowing 6 hits and 1 run. Tim Lincecum offered stellar relief pitching with 5 strikeouts and no hits or runs allowed.

The Tigers clawed for life in the 9th inning with a 2-run homerun from Jhonny Peralta, but the Giants held on to win.

Game 2 is 8 p.m. Thursday night in San Francisco. The Giants will try to take a 2-0 series lead before heading to Detroit Saturday night.

Inning-by-inning recap of Game 1:

Pitching matchup: Tigers RH Justin Verlander (3-0, 0.74 ERA) vs. Giants LH Barry Zito (1-0, 1.74)

1st inning:

Barry Zito opened the game against Tigers CF Austin Jackson. Jackson popped up for the first out. Omar Infante singled. Miguel Cabrera was up with Infante on 1st and 1 out. Cabrera walked. Prince Fielder popped up to left for the 2nd out. Delmon Young grounded to 3rd base and the throw to 2nd ended the side.

Angel Pagan led off for the Giants. Justin Verlander got him to ground out to 1st for out No. 1. Marco Scutaro was up with 1 out and no men on. Scutaro grounded to shortstop and could not beat SS Jhonny Peralta's throw to 1st. Pablo Sandoval homered to center to put the Giants on the board. Buster Posey struck out to end the inning.

Score: Giants 1, Tigers 0

2nd inning:

Peralta struck out -- Zito's first K. Avisail Garcia grounded out. Alex Avial grounded out, too, to end the side.

Hunter Pence struck out swinging -- Verlander's 2nd K. Austin Jackson ran to catch Brandon Belt's pop up for the 2nd out. Gregor Blanco was up with two outs and no runners on base. He grounded out to 2nd to end the inning.

Score: Giants 1, Tigers 0

3rd inning:

Verlander popped up to begin the inning. Jackson shot one up the middle for a 1-out base hit. Infante then struck out. Cabrera was up with 2 outs and a man on 1st. He flew out to left field where Blanco made the catch to end the side.

Brandon Crawford struck one to center where Jackson made the catch. Zito could not make contact and Verlander got him to strike out swinging. Pagan send one down the 3rd base line. The ball hit the bag and Pagan took 2nd -- a 2-out double. Scutaro singled and sent Pagan home for the score. Sandoval hit his 2nd homerun of the night to make it 4-0. Buster Posey hit a 2-out single to keep the inning rolling for the Giants. Pence grounded out to end the inning.

Score: Giants 4, Tigers 0

4th inning:

Prince Fielder led off with a base hit. Delmon Young hit into a double play. Peralta then popped up to right field to end the side.

Brandon Belt walked to start the side. Blanco struck out looking for the first out of the side -- Verlander's 4th K. Crawford grounded out, but moved the runner to 2nd. Zito hit one into left field to get the runner home. Pagan flew out to end the inning.

Score: Giants 5, Tigers 0

5th inning:

Avisail Garcia grounded out to begin the inning. Avila also grounded out. Danny Worth hit in place of Verlander, who was done for the night. Worth struck out to end the side.

Sandoval led off the inning for the Giants. He hit his 3rd homerun of the night, this time off Al Alburquerque

Score: Giants 6, Tigers 0

6th inning:

Jackson led off with a double. Infante flew out to center. Jackson tagged up and went to 3rd base. Cabrera was up with 2 outs and a runner on 3rd. He hit a single to score Jackson. The Tigers got on the board. Fielder hit one to left where Blanco made another outstanding catch. Young hit a 2-out single. Runners were on 1st and 2nd with Peralta at bat. That was all for Barry Zito. Tim Lincecum came in to get the final out and get the Giants out of the inning.

Alburquerque was still pitching for the Tigers. He got out of the inning, 1, 2, 3.

Score: Giants 6, Tigers 1

7th inning:

Lincecum continued to pitch for the Giants. He struck out Garcia swinging to start the inning. Lincecum then struck out Avila, his 3rd-straight strikeout. Pinch-hitter Quintin Berry grounded out to end the side.

Jose Valverde entered to pitch for the Tigers. Lincecum struck out. Pagan hit a double, his second of the night. Scutaro hit a single to score Pagan. Sandoval was up with one out and a runner on 1st. He singled. Scutaro went to the 3rd base. Posey was up with runners on the corners and 1 out. He hit a base hit to score Scutaro. Valverde was pulled. Joaquin Benoit took the mound for the Tigers. A wild pitch from Benoit advanced the runners. He then struck out Hunter Pence. Benoit struck out Belt to end the inning.

Score: Giants 8, Tigers 1

8th inning:

Lincecum struck out Jackson. Infante grounded out. Cabrera then struck out swinging.

Rick Porcello took the mound for the Tigers. He struck out Belt. Crawford hit one to center where Jackson made a running catch for the out. Pinch hitter Aubrey Huff grounded the 3rd. Cabrera threw to 1st to end the inning.

Score: Giants 8, Tigers 1

9th inning:

Delmon Young hit a 1-out base hit. Peralta hit a 2-run homerun. The Giants held on to win in the 9th.

Score: Giants 8, Tigers 3